Chapter 449: O Dragon, O Dragon! Part Twenty-Six
Rätsel, the Mystic Sword.
It was the pinnacle reached by swordsmen who walked a different path from the Master of the Sword—the highest rank attained by those who devoted themselves solely to perfecting the blade.
A Magic Swordsman who imbued their own sword with magic and wielded techniques unifying sword and sorcery would eventually earn the name “Rätsel, the Mystic Sword.”
That was the explanation according to the world’s lore.
In gameplay terms, Rätsel could be described as “a magic-sword wielder who switches between the player’s own spells.”
In SLF, a “magic sword” was defined as a sword that had magic recorded within the weapon itself, allowing whoever held it to cast the recorded spell.
Rätsel, however, fought using a special catalyst sword known as Ritus, Ritual Spirit Sword, switching between spells according to the player’s own will.
Because the sword served as the catalyst, there were restrictions on which spells could be activated. Its magical power also inevitably fell short when compared with a magic-specialized Job such as Sage.
Aside from those limitations, however, it could master every element and support a freely changing, endlessly adaptable combat style.
Sword and magic in harmony.
Its performance was far too powerful to dismiss as merely being a jack of all trades.
And yet, for some reason, Rätsel was considered an unfavored Job.
Why?
P.T. Overwerke: “What’s wrong with using one sword?! Falcon Edge!!”
The answer was the existence of the overwhelmingly popular Master of the Sword, another highest-tier Job in the same general line.
That alone was the root cause of Rätsel’s poor reputation.
In truth, there was no factual basis for saying that Rätsel was inferior to the Master of the Sword.
The Master of the Sword depended entirely upon the specifications of the swords themselves. Its flashy movements often obscured the fact that, aside from Sworvant and special magic determined by the number of swords, it did not actually cast magic.
Rätsel, by contrast, was restricted by the Ritual Spirit Sword, but its versatility increased in direct proportion to the number of spells the player had learned.
But even if that was true—
The existence of Psyger-100, a Master of the Sword who fought even more spectacularly than any Rätsel, caused that fact to fade into obscurity.
She solved the problem of limited attack frequency through the extremely simple logic of, “Then I should increase the number of swords.”
In reality, she freely cast spells acquired through the corrections granted by the Hero Job.
More importantly, the sight of numerous magic swords and famous blades flying through the air possessed far more flair than Rätsel, which could be dismissed as:
“So it’s basically a Sage holding a sword instead of a staff, right?”
Anyone who actually became a Master of the Sword would understand that Psyger-100’s build was the result of so much accumulated effort that it deserved to be called obsessive.
But from the perspective of someone deciding which Job to pursue, the choice was obvious.
In other words, Rätsel had far fewer aspiring players than the Master of the Sword because of the brutally straightforward reputational damage that it was simply less flashy.
P.T. Overwerke: “Anyone with physical ranged attacks, aim for the upper body! Especially the horns! Don’t force it, though—just keep landing hits!!”
Arrows attacked Siegwurm in considerable numbers, if not quite enough to be called rain.
At the same time, close-range fighters pressed against his lower body and struck with their respective weapons.
Player: “That was hard...!!”
Player: “What about blunt attacks?!”
Player: “It feels like punching iron! Is this even doing anything?!”
Siegwurm: “Nngh!!”
Siegwurm twisted his body and swept his golden tail through the players.
Some of those with lower durability shattered from that blow alone.
Siegwurm: “What is wrong? Is that all?!”
Noirlind: “Grurroaaaaah!!”
P.T. Overwerke: “Match the timing! ...Now! Hit him with magic!!”
The moment distance opened between Noirlind, who had been knocked away, and Siegwurm, who had sent him flying, the spells that had been prepared while awaiting that opportunity rained down upon the golden dragon.
Apparently judging that even he could not receive them unharmed, Siegwurm’s horns became wreathed in lightning-like effects.
Siegwurm: “Good! Excellent! Then overcome this trial of mine! Frenzy Domain!!”
P.T. Overwerke: “Skill suppression! Fight primarily with magic! Let’s see, we need firepower here... All right, this one! Rite Update Set!”
P.T. Overwerke pulled a thick, dictionary-like book from his inventory.
He tore out one of its pages and pressed it against his sword.
Despite there being no source of ignition, the detached page was enveloped in pale blue flame.
The smoke, flames, and even the small amount of ash were all absorbed into the sword, changing the color of the writing carved into its blade from blue to purple.
P.T. Overwerke: “Fire your magic! Chain Bubble!!”
Ritus, Ritual Spirit Sword wielded by Rätsel, was both a staff and a sword.
By performing a “ritual” upon the original sword with a special catalyst, it became a catalyst for spell activation—or, more precisely, a “vessel for magic swords.”
That allowed countless spells to be loaded into a single blade.
And so, rather than the sharp flying slash it had released moments earlier, destructive bubbles now erupted from its point as P.T. Overwerke continued issuing commands.
Team 10PM Member: “Leader! Only Skills are disabled, right? It’s not completely immune to physical attacks!”
P.T. Overwerke: “Hikaridori-san! If you’re continuing to strike it, position yourself on the opposite side of Siegwurm!”
Hikaridori: “Okaaay!”
Siegwurm was enormous.
That made him a large target—easy to hit, but also easy to defend.
As time passed, more and more players gathered upon the battlefield where Siegwurm and Noirlind continued to clash.
Naturally, the number of players affiliated with what could be called the crafting-class alliance hostile to Noirlind also increased.
However, because the alliance of top clans united through Pencilgon’s covert efforts commanded the majority, they were unable to launch attacks beyond minor harassment.
Siegwurm: “The radiance of the ‘individual’ is good, but the radiance of the ‘group’ is good as well!”
Player: “It’s no use! There’s absolutely no sign that we’re hurting him!!”
Player: “What about Maddai-san?!”
Support Player: “Yeah! Every support class is piling buffs onto her! Give us another twenty seconds!!”
Player: “Please, Maddai-san! Give him a huge—kaboom!”
Maddai: “A huge kaboom, you say? Ufufu. Leave it to me.”
Player: “Huh? Did it fail?”
Player: “Idiot! That buff can’t be applied multiple times!!”
Player: “Oh, right...”
Because this was a game.
Because this was a raid.
Because they were fighting as a group.
Some stared directly at Siegwurm, while others spoke to the person standing beside them.
Some operated crystals to take screenshots, while others made no attempt to conceal the bitter expressions those screenshots inspired.
Siegwurm: “Oh, truly the radiance of stars... I possess no memories of the great sea, and yet was the passion once held by those people something like this...?!”
Some drew Siegwurm’s aggro.
Some raced freely across the battlefield.
Some raised staffs from the rear.
Some stood poised at last, carrying a gigantic blunt greatsword—the Iron Flail—upon their shoulder.
And some fought alongside the black dragon.
Siegwurm: “Come, then. Show me every last trace of that radiance. Know that it is the brilliance of heroes that shall pierce me!!”
The golden dragon roared, his voice dyed with joy.
In the previous era, even a civilization brought to its absolute peak had failed to defeat the Origin.
The golden dragon’s ally had told Siegwurm with a sigh that the cause of their destruction was that “there had been no other way.”
Siegwurm did not agree.
The reason the people of the Divine Era had perished, the golden Dragon King believed, was the side effect of technology advanced enough to transform even an ordinary foot soldier into an elite—
The absence of beings worthy of being praised as “heroes.”
Was that belief born from the admiration for heroic tales that had been carved into his body and soul since Siegwurm had been far smaller and younger?
Or was it the conclusion he had reached because, during the Divine Era, he alone had continued fighting as the greatest counter against the forces of the Origin?
Siegwurm was still considering the answer.
And before long, he would reach his conclusion.
Justice was a matter of principles and beliefs.
Evil was another form of justice founded upon a different definition.
It was impossible for every person to unify their thoughts.
Therefore, even if this woman alone refused to change her opinion, her decision that she alone would point her blade at “him” was also justice.
And she was not alone.
She was the President who commanded many supporters.
Emilia: “...Let’s do it. This castle exists for that very purpose.”
At that moment, the castle created through hatred, vengeance, and the passion—the motivation—that supported them all bestowed its protection upon every warrior.
[Hostile Target: Black Dragon Noirlind]
[Enhancement Targets: Players and NPCs currently engaged in combat with the hostile target]
[Enhancement Effects:
- Recover HP and MP every fifteen seconds
- Increase all stats
- Damage bonus
- Recast time reduced by 20%]
Rätsel’s lack of popularity is also partly caused by all the tedious preparation involved in obtaining magical catalysts.